1-in-10 Irish Gamblers Have Four or More Accounts

The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland has taken a closer look at the betting and gambling landscape in the country, with the regulator basing its assessment on a soon-to-be-released ESRI report.

New Survey to Focus on Gambling Consumption in Ireland

According to ESRI’s findings, as confirmed by the watchdog’s chief executive, Anne Marie Caulfield, there are at least several trends that require closer scrutiny. For one, 10% of sports bettors place wagers while at work, with one in ten actually holding four or more accounts they cycle through to place bets.

Another trend worth noting, says Calfield, is that at least 25% of all registered gamblers receive a daily notification to keep on going. Caulfield, though, believes that this will be changing once new legislation is rolled in.

“ That’s something that you will be allowed to opt out of in future under the legislation, where you decide you do not want to receive those notifications,” she said at the St John of God Research Foundation annual research conference.

These new remarks come in a fraught context for gambling in Ireland, with studies suggesting that the actual figure of problem gamblers in the country may be understated by a factor of 10.

The incoming ESRI research has specifically sought to address how gamblers interact with the industry and activity, and whether they need further protection from potentially risky or outright dangerous gambling practices.

Cross-Selling and New Self-Exclusion Registry

Caulfield also paid attention to the cross-selling opportunities that platforms used. In instances when people registered for sports or horse racing products, they would often get free spins as an inducement to explore the associated platform’s casino offer, which is often unsolicited.

“Also, three in four made a deposit in the past year, and we did find through this study that people found it relatively easy to make a withdrawal, but a little bit more difficult to withdraw than to add to their accounts,” she noted.

In the meantime, the gambling regulator is preparing to start the licensing process for all major companies in the country, with more consumer-protection measures planned, including the introduction of a national self-registry designed to shield vulnerable consumers.